Sherman, William Tecumseh (1820-1891) to John Aaron Rawlins
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04039 Author/Creator: Sherman, William Tecumseh (1820-1891) Place Written: St. Louis, Missouri Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 29 November 1865 Pagination: 3 p. : docket ; 25.3 x 20.3 cm. Order a Copy
General Sherman states that he will travel to Little Rock, Arkansas, on 30 November 1865, and will leave Colonel R. M. Sawyer, Assistant Adjutant General of the Military Division of the Mississippi, in charge in his absence. Reports that he sent General Joseph J. Reynolds three African American regiments ordered to Sherman by General Lorenzo Thomas. States that Reynolds plans to muster out and discharge all volunteers in his department. Hopes to muster out the 100th Regiment of Colored Infantry, as it exceeds the needs of his department. States that General Edward Ortho Cresap Ord commands one African American regiment. Informs Rawlins that he has written to General Edward Davis Townsend regarding mustering out the 100th. States that General Grenville Mellen Dodge is discharging volunteers as quickly as possible. Written on Head Quarters of the Military Division of the Mississippi stationery.
John Aaron Rawlins (1831-1869) was a Union general from Illinois who served as Chief of Staff to General Ulysses S. Grant, as well as his close confidante. He served as Grant's first Secretary of War. Joseph Jones Reynolds (1822-1899) was a Union general from Kentucky and commander of the Department of Arkansas. Lorenzo Thomas (1804-1875) was Adjutant General during the Civil War, except for a period in 1863-1865 during which he helped to recruit African American soldiers in Mississippi. Edward Ortho Cresap Ord (1818-1883) was a prominent Union general from Maryland who was instrumental in beginning peace talks between the Union and the Confederacy to end the war. Grenville Mellen Dodge (1831-1916) was a Union general originally from Massachusetts. After the war he became a railroad executive and a Congressman from Iowa.
Complete Transcript:
HEAD QUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI
Saint Louis, Mo., Nov. 29, 1865
General John. A. Rawlins
Chief of Staff to Gen'l Grant
Washington, D.C.
General,
Pursuant to a notice to Gen'l J.J. Reynolds. Com'g Dept. of Arkansas, I will start the day after tomorrow for Little Rock to confer with him on certain matters and to see with my own eyes that section of my command. If I can conveniently do so, I will extend my visit up to Fort Smith and be absent from here say three (3) weeks. As usual I will leave Colonel Sawyer here at the office with instructions to expedite all business which passes through us and in case of necessity-he can reach me by telegraph to Little Rock.
I have sent Gen'l Reynolds three of the colored regiments ordered to me from General Thomas and have promised him the 19th N.J. Regular Infantry as soon as placed at my command. Only one company has thus far reported. Gen'l Reynolds with these troops promised me to muster out and discharge every volunteer in his Department. I shall make it my business to refer (?) this matter even in advance of the arrival of the 19th.
I had no notice of the coming of the 100th Rgt. of Colored Infantry and it is in excess of the force of which I had due notice. Gen'l Ross insists he has no use for it and its presence here delays our intended bucking up of Benton Barracks. Gen'l Ord has already one Colored Rgt. and Gen'l Reynolds the three before referred to. So that unless there is some reason unknown to me, we could easily muster it out. I have written fully to Gen'l Townsend on this particular subject and await his answer.
Gen'l Dodge is here from Leavenworth & reports he is pushing the Regulars at his disposal and as far as possible relieving and discharging volunteers as fast as relieved. In that I feel warranted in saying that in this Military Division this matter of discharges to volunteer troops has been and is still being pushed as fast as circumstances will permit.
I am with great respect
your obedient servant,
W.T. Sherman
Maj. Gen'l Com'd
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